Intra-abdominal hypertension after life-threatening penetrating abdominal trauma: prophylaxis, incidence, and clinical relevance to gastric mucosal pH and abdominal compartment syndrome.

ObjectiveTo define the incidence, prophylaxis, and treatment of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and its relevance to gut mucosal pH (pHi), multiorgan dysfunction syndrome, and the abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS).MethodsSeventy patients in the SICU at a Level I trauma center (1992-1996) with